Method of making water gas



1935- c. B. ,HILLHOUSE 2,010,634

METHOD OF MAKING WATER GAS Filed D90. 28, 193]. 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 6, 1935. c. B. HILLHOUSE METHOD OF MAKING WATER GAS Filed Dec. 28, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 6, 1935. c. B. HILLHOUSE I METHOD OF MAKING WATER GAS Filed Dec. 28, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 fan-4,1.

Patented Aug. 6,1935

PATENT OFFIC ME'rnon or MAKING. WATER GAS.

Charles B. Hillhous, New York, N. Y., assignor to Sylvia Kemsen H iilhouse New York, N. Y.

Application December as, 1931,. Serial Nil-58351;

. invention relates to a method and appa: news for combustion and more specifically toa method of combustion wherein the gases of combustion are so arranged and controlled that these gases are limited to a predetermined zone, whereby. they will not with adjacent materials into which heat is beingtransferred fromthe gases during combustion thereof. I

lihe main object of my invention isto provide in a gas generator at central zone of combustion the flame portions of which are substantially oylindr-ical in shape in combination with means to withdraw theburned gases along a pathcentrally within the cylindrical flame.

- Another object is to provide in a gas generator an outlet for the gases of combustion Off flared shape in combination with means for removing thequiescent or boundary layer of gasesadjacent the walls of the'outlet Another object is to utilize a portion; of the heat ofthe combustion Zone to superheat steam 01 subsequent use in the making of a combustible gas in the generator. 1 l

A further object is to provide in a g asgeneratqr a novel means for feeding a whirling strearnof gas forming materials into superheated steam.

A further object is to provide in a gas'generator a co-ntrolled means for diverting unmixed made gases into the gas outlets in combination with means for deflecting a portion of the made gases into the central zone of combustion. Other obieots w ill appearirom astudyof the accompanying detailed description of-my invenon.

Th pr s nt n n o ma b t liz f r s ll.- l' u poses u v pa u arl licabl a an impro o e t dis losu my a plion e al 2 9- .1.1. hiqr Gewmdubins bpawns (fi es pril. 1. .2 n 59 t 2 1172 fo Me hod pr he pro n o 9 mzs iblesasfil li F br a 9. 8. hi methjd. ma he us d a so. or the. purp s o crank n 11s ati aoinetr lsumqr siur lsas- V st pw se. to the isc osure of he o h-pend ng ene of combusti n 0. axial flameli s b' umt r v sed w re n. he as .Qf com ustion e i rths enerator at one 6 1d; ih fla i a dr w f at the opposite end of the generator. In the rep cations, abov denti d, a entral. heat n r sentep liqa ionjl pro m .fuel bur er at o endoi the generator having a circular or polygoal, iorm. hev bu ning. ga e of c mbusti n emergingflom this burner are ejected therefrom subs antially n thefg mo a y der whic 6 f tendssubstantially 'to the end of the generator opposite to the burner at which point the gases move inwardly tothe axis. and are then passed axially through the cylindrical flame in counter flow thereto! and are removed from the genera r by means of a flue providing an outlet within the circularburner. The axial zone within the cylindrioal: flame provides an outlet for the burned gases. This outlet should be made large enough to allow the gases of combustion to travel slow enough. to. prevent the outwardly passing gases from drawing into. itself the surrounding flame until the flame has reached its full intended length. r l

If the flame is. vertically upward as shown in the drawings, the gases of combustion will be withdrawn through an. axial Q ltlet in the bottomxby. means of suction, but I may reverse this order and project the flamevertically dQWnWard and withdraw the gasesoi combustion thrqughan outlet at the. top of the generator. The fuel and air may be fed to the flame by Dljessure or. by suction, or. by both pressure andsuction. The doubling back on ts lf o th as s. O combustion of the cylindrical heating; agent or zone will have an. important fiect in b n-ins natural gasor other hydrocarbon for it will add heat at the critical moment of dissociation just prior to combustion, which ill increase the amount of radiant heat given oli as well as increaselthe. flame temperature. In order to avoid turbulence or spilling of the outgoin currentoi gases of combustion, I provide aflared outlet and remove the outer or bounda y l y f e en gases -wl'lich. causes this disturbance. I propose to remove this boundary layer either by permit: ting outside air to. leak into the outlet flue through. openings, in the wall thereof or by using asuction to withdraw the. bOl ndary layer of gases through thewall; openin s-f. i

In order to prevent the roof of the generator from overheating, I provide a chamber adjacent the roof and Pass steam or-Water Vapor into this chamber. th r by. highly ns sa ns the ater vapor-or steam andthe latter may be used wit h. in th generator by. mixing it with the gas makins carb na e s fu The walls of. the generator will be kept from oyerheating by the endothermic gas reactions taking place at that point as Well as by heat transference through the walls into a surrounding steam jacket specially constructed to take up the heat.

One ofthe important objects of my method of combustible gas making isto preheat the steam. and carbon up to combining temperatures before in Fig. 1 in the direction carrying both into separate compartments between the inner and outer roof and and also between the outer walls of the generator so as to respectively further preheat each before they enter the interior of the generator to meet and combine.

The walls of the generator should be of such character and thickness as to maintain steam at its highest temperature.

For an understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the detailed specification which follows and to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a view in cross section of a gas producer embodying my improved burner;

Fig. 2 is a view in section along the line 2-2 in Fig. l in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a view in section along line 33 in Fig. l in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a view in section along the line 4@ of the arrows;

- Fig. 5 is a view in section of a steam boiler used in connection with the producer; and

Fig. 6 is a view in section showing a steam injector and a modified wall structure.

Referring in particular to Fig. l, a gas generator l is shown preferably as circular in form, the outer'wall of which is formed from suitable materials of such nature as will prevent any material transfer of heat therethrough from the mass of superheated steam'contained between the walls of the generator. A fuel burner 2 is arranged to project through the bottom wall of the generator and is formed to provide either an annular or multi-sided burner tip whereby to produce a substantially annular flame 3 within the generator. Fuel is fed to the burner through the circular inlet pipe t either by pressure or suction and is supplied thereto from conduits 5-5. The air for combustion is supplied from a conduit 6. An important feature of my invention resides in the method and means employed to provide an outlet for the burned gases of combustion. The outlet 1 for these gases formed in the bottom of the generator is flared at 8 for a purpose to be described hereinafter and the outlet flue 9 is extended with a uniform diameter and preferably tapered inwardly at H3. An ejector l l is arranged in the flue Q and is effective to produce a high degree of suction acting downwardly within the flue. The air for combustion flows from the conduit 6 upwardly between the walls l2-i3 of the flue and is thereby preheated by the heated gases in the flue 9. The annular flame 3 under proper operating conditions will extend upwardly to substantially contact the roof of the generator and will be drawn inwardly towards the central axis and then flow downwardly due to the powerful suction from the ejector H.

I propose to divert a portion of the made gases into the zone of combustion in a manner to be described later on. In so doing, however, suflicient secondary air may be added from an inlet M in the roof to assist in complete combustion of the added gases.

Under certain conditions, I deem it advisable that the inlet M be used to supply fuel of a desired nature, for example, gas or oil, to the zone of combustion at the upper end thereof. Such added fuel may preferably be preheated and when supplied to the existing flame will be effective to fatten up or intensify the flame at the most desirable point, adjacent the upper end of the generator chamber.

The flue 9 should be of such construction as to best transfer the sensible heat of the gases of combustion to the incoming air for combustion in the conduit 6 surrounding it.

I find that it is particularly desirable to provide an outlet for the gases of combustion so proportioned as to increase the efficiency of discharge of these gases. In View of the extreme degree of expansion and resulting large volume of gases of combustion, a high velocity of exit thereof necessarily results. In the case of every fluid, as the velocity is increased, some point is reached where the type of motion suddenly changes from a straight line motion to a second type of motion known as turbulent motion which is characterized by the presence of innumerable eddy currents in the stream. In this type of motion, there is relatively little or no motion of the fluid at the wall. Layers of fluid are continuously adding themselves to the already present original layer along the wall. These accumulations, called boundary layers, partially choke up the passage so that a portion of the fluid stream is thrown back into the furnace in the present case. To overcome this trouble, I make use of a special outlet having a flared design and the wall of the outlet is provided with a series of holes that function to permit a leakage of outside air into the flared exit. The air leaking inwardly will carry along with it this boundary layer of gases.

As shown in Fig. 1, the flared outlet 8 from the generator l communicates with the flue 9. A double series of holes I5 are made in and around the flared wall. Air from the exterior passes inwardly through the holes and carries with it any boundary layer present in the outlet 'i. As a modified construction, a suction may be employed in a manner to draw off the boundary layer of gases outwardly through the openings !5.

The ejector ii is controllable and serves not only to create a vacuum to draw out the gases of combustion through the outlet 7, but also to assist in drawing the fuel through the burner 2.

Steam or water vapor is conducted into the generator through one or more conduits l6 which are located within the flue 9 and extend laterally therefrom through openings H, and then pass through the steam space between the double walls l8 and H! of the generator. These conduits extend along the roof of the outer wall [9 of the generator and merge to form a central steam inlet 2E leading downwardly into a steam superheater 2! located adjacent the roof of the generator in position to receive heat from the zone of combustion. The steam passes through the superheater outwardly under a partition 22 and then inwardly above this partition to a steam outlet 23 opening into a steam space or compartment between the walls l8 and 19.

Fuel in the form of pulverized coal, carbon or oil is admitted to the generator through a conduit 24 which, as best shown in Fig. 2, is arranged tangentially to the fuel inlet wall 25 at the upper end of the generator. A hopper 26 serves to feed the carbonaceous gas forming material to the conduit 24. Steam from the space between the walls Ill-l9 passes through a conduit 21 which opens into the conduit24. A steam injector 28 is used to draw the highly heated steam from conduit 2'! into the conduit vSi l where the steam diil'uses and entrains the gas forming carbonaceous fuel and forces it tangentially into the generator at a suitable high velocity along the roof. The inner wall {8 of the generator is or stepped construction as shown at 2 9. superheated steam is admitted from the steam space through'a plurality of steam inlets 30, each arranged tangentially tothe generator wall as shown in Fig. 3. Each steam inlet is associated with a steam injector '3! which injects steam from the steam space around the generator wall l8 through a related orifice 32 into the generator and tangential- 1y along the wall it in a direction to mix with the carbonaceousgas forming material. 'The injectors 3| are controllable to vary the quantity of superheated steam fed into the generator or steam may be tangentially drawn into the generatorby suction through outlets.

, In order to create a maximum heating surface for the steam to pass'over in space l8-l9, wall 19 on'its inner face. is studded with multiple knobs or brick 18 so that heat emitted through wall l8, preferably carborundum, will be taken up by the knobs and transferred to the steam passing through the space.

As shown inF-ig. ,1, the peripheral rim of the supjerheater 2i inclines downwardly at 33 by a gradual curve, thereby avoiding any sharp 3or-. ners. The adjacent wall portion 34 of the generator is also curved along a gradualarc. Such construction serves to permit the incoming car- 1 bonaceous material to maintain its whirling motion along a path such as will permitthis mate- 'rial to impinge against the whirling incoming steam at substantially aright angle at points in the plane of the upper row-of tangential steam inlets.

The preheated carbon dust is further preheated by contact with its conveying medium, superheated steam, to about 1500 F. before it enters the roof of the generator and is preheated iurther to about 2600? F. during its whirling passage between the roof of the superheater 2! and the adjacent generator wall. As a direct result,

the carbon dust stream passing into the first installment of incoming superheated steam, at a still higher temperature, will combine chemically to. produce a flash gas reaction, as the central zone of combustion provides a continuous source of heat for absorption by the gas forming materials and the gas forming reaction is completed upto equilibrium requirements. Additional highs ly heated. steam enters through following inlets during the helical passage of the remaining materialstoward the lower end of the generator and further reactions take place as above.

Carbonaceousfuel for gas making, if solid, should be finely crushed, and if a liquid should be atomized by asprayer, and either of them should be mixed into a gaseous conveying medium as for instance preheated steam or a hot made water gas, so thatthey will be sufficiently split up and preheated at the instant of contact with the highly preheated steam to insure complete gasification.

Adjacent the lower end of the generator, I provide at least two tangential outlets for drawing off the made gases. Two of such'outlets 35 and 36 are shown best in Fig. 4.' I use more than one tangential outlet to remove the made combustible gases, so. that only the balance between the total gas generated and the aggregate discharge from the several outlets would be burned in the an-.

nular flame in a manner described hereinafter.

which is rotatable to shift the plate to more or less restrict the opening through the gas outlet. The first outlet 35 might contain little or no inert gas portion while the second outlet 36 might havesome inert gas portion but to no excessive amount.

I provide a means to pass a portion of the made gasesinto the annular flame, which means comprises a deflector plate spaced from the bottom of the generator. This plate M is. made in the form of a spiral warped surface. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the upper or high edgedZ of this plate is located in line with the second gas outlet 36. The plate extends around the generator between the annular burner and the generator wall for 360 annular degrees and terminates at 43 in substantial contact with the generator floor. The plate is connected at its periphery with the generator wall and inclines downwardly toward the annular burner. The inner edge 4d of the plate is flanged upwardly at 45 and terminates at or a little above the edge of the burner 2, and is spaced from the burner to provide a circular gas outlet gap 45 closely adjacent the burner tip. In operation, the deflector plate serves to. deflect that portion of the made gases that is not drawn oil through the gas outlets 35 -35. The whirling stream of gases encounters the high edge 42 of the plate and is deflected downwardly to pass underneath the plate. During its passage under this plate, portions of the deflected gas are forced inwardly towards the burner 2 and are discharged upwardly through the outlet gap 46 in the form of an annular sheet in position to bedrawn into the annular flame, thereby to furnish additional fuel for combustion. V

An ejector 47 is positioned in each gas" outlet conduit 35 and 35 to draw off the made gases.

I provide in connection with the gas generator,

a means to recover the heat from the made gases as well as to separate hot slag, ash and dust from the gases. The made gases on leaving the generator through each outlet 35 and 36, as shown in Fig. 5 may pass tangentially through a pipe 48 into a gas cooler and separator 49 which may be shaped like a common dust separator in order to free the made gases from solid matter. The entering gases will be whirled around in contact with the wall of the boiler and will be considerably cooled. The solid matter on striking the wall will be discharged downwardly into a pit 55! along with any unconsurned coal and thereby be easily disposed of The still hot made gases from outlet pipe'48 will pass off through an outlet flue 5| and will be used to first preheat the semi-coke and then for low temperature distillation or other purposes not shown.

In the operation of my improved gas generator, a. circular central zone of combustion ismaintained at 3 by means of the ci cular burner 2 which is supplied by fuel from conduits E5 and by air from conduit 5. Gas making carbonaceous material in the form of pulverized coal or carbon, or oil if desired, is fed from the hopper 26 and forced by the ejector 28 with superheated steam from conduit 2'! into the pipe 2 4 which is arranged tangentially to the upper reduced fuel inlet wall 25 f the generator. This material with steam as a conveying medium from the conduit 2! will be whirled at high velocity along and adjacent the inner wall is of the generator first between the superheater 2i and the sloping wall portion 3 where it will be heated further by contact with the superheater 25. This highly heated material at a temperature of approximately 2000 degrees F. will meet the tangentially whirling superheated steam entering the generator at, at least, that temperature from the upper row of inlets 3% in line with the superheater 2i. At this point, the carbonaceous material and steam, for the most part, will flash or react suddenly into chemical combination to produce a made gas as the necessary heat for absorption is being continuously supplied from the axial zone of combustion. These combinations will continue in the same manner as the materials pass downwardly along the generator wall and additional superheated steam enters from the lower inlets 3G. The made gases will be intercepted by the striker plates 3'? and diverted into the outlets 35 and 3E and drawn off by suction produced by the ejectors ll. A portion of the gases will be diverted under the high edge 12 of the deflector plate 35 and will pass under this plate with a whirling motion. The gas passing under this plate will be crowded inwardly and will emerge from the circular outlet 56 and mix with the burning fuel passing from the burner 2. Among the advantages of the method of combustion disclosed, the following may be noted:

1. Production of a high temperature flame.

2. Increase of radiant heat.

3. Controlling the velocity of the axial current of gases of combustion so as not to prematurely draw into itself the surrounding flame.

4. Gases of combustion are shielded from extending toward the outer solid walls of the chamberby the vertical walls of inert gases of the axial flame.

5. Removal of the accumulating boundary layer in the outlet by leakage or suction will prevent turbulence or spilling of the outgoing current of gases of combustion, so that there will be no substantial mixing of these gases into the materials which the heat from the flame acts upon.

6. Sensible heat in the highly heated outgoing gases of combustion may be transferred to the incoming air for combustion, thereby adding to the flame temperature and quantity of heat from combustion.

7. Combustion may be improved in many cases by incorporating a portion of the made gases in the axial flame.

.8. A gas free from gases of combustion may be secured by cutting out the rim nearer the wall.

9. Passing balance of made gases containing any nitrogen mixture into the flame.

10. The preheating of water vapor to high temperature prior to introduction into the generator.

The method and apparatus disclosed are susceptible of application in general to a variety of uses but more particularly has been designed in a preferred modification to be used in connec- With slight changes which would not vary the general novel combination, this process may be adapted to the art ofcracking of petroleum oils. Under the most favorable conditions of design and operation, the gas generator disclosed will give a high efiiciency of operation with little or no mixing of the made gases with the products of combustion. Under less favorable conditions, in case some mixing does occur, it is intended that the portion of mixed gases will be diverted into the central heating flame, thereby raising the quality of made gases.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention herein, it is to be understood that such variations thereof are contemplated aswill be embraced within the broad scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A method of producing combustible gas which comprises maintaining in a closed chamber a zone of combustion of ring shape in crosssection to provide a hollow axial core, withdrawingthe gases of combustion through said hollow core, passing gas forming carbonaceous material in a helical path around said zone whereby to produce a made gas without substantial mixing thereof with the gases of combustion and withdrawing the made gases from said chamber.

2. A method of producing combustible gas which comprises maintaining in a closed chamber a zone of combustion of ring shape in crosssection to provide a hollow axial core, withdrawing the gases of combustion through said hollow core, feeding steam tangentially along the walls of said chamber and feeding carbonaceous material at one end of said chamber through a tangential inlet and passing said material into the steam moving helically around said zone whereby to produce a made gas without substantial mixing thereof with the gases of combustion, and withdrawing the made gases from said chamber at that end opposite to the material inlet.

3. A method of producing combustible gas which comprises maintaining in a closed chamber a zone of combustion of ring shape in crosssection to provide a hollow axial core, withdrawing the gases of combustion through said hollow core, passing gas forming carbonaceous material along said zone in direct marginal contact therewith whereby to produce a made gas without substantial mixing thereof with the gases of combustion, and withdrawing the made gases from said chamber.

l. A method of producing combustible gas which comprises maintaining in a closed chamber a zone of combustion of ring shape in crosssection to provide a hollow axial core, withdrawing the gases of combustion through said core, feeding steam and carbonaceous material at one end of said chamber through inlets arranged tangentially to the walls thereof, and passing said steam and material into direct marginal contact with said zone whereby to produce a made gaswithout substantial mixing thereof with the gases of combustion, and withdrawing the made gases from said chamber at that end opposite to the material inlet.

5. In a method as set forth in claim l, wherein the steam has been superheated by external contact with the wall of said chamber prior to its admission thereto. i

CHARLES B. HILLI-IOUSE. 

